Ruger Mark I, II, III, IV &22/45 Pistols

S

SGW Gunsmith

Moderator
There doesn't seem to be much interest in the Ruger Mark .22 caliber pistols on this web-site.
Are there many (any) Ruger Mark pistol owners who frequent this site and care to discuss how their guns perform, or how to get them to run better?
 
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22/45 with Volquartsen internals and comp. Great for Steel Challenge. So far it likes CCI Mini Mags 40 grainers the best. Doesn't like hollow points. I'm trying to get them to work as well.

The compensator does make a difference even on a .22, plus there's the COOL factor.
 
I have what I believe is called a FrankenRuger-It started out as a 22/45 that I added a Volquartsen 22/45 target frame.The darned thing digests any ammo I have tried.I added a Tac-Sol rail with integral sights so a person can mount a optic of their choosing.I guess the cost of this setup is kinda high-but I like it and it does shoot like it costs.
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I have a Mark III 22/45 with replaceable panels. Have had a Mark II Competition Target and a Mark III 22/45 that I traded in for the one I have now. The Mark III was a bugger to get back together the first couple of times. I was used to the Mark II and the magazine disconnect threw me off. Thought I might have to send it back to Ruger for reassembly. I removed the disconnect on my current 22/45.

They are great pistols but I think a lot of people have been wary of them because of the disassembly and reassembly procedure. If Ruger had brought out the Mark IV years ago they would have sold even more of them than they already have. Cant't wait for them to fill out the Mark IV line with more models. Might have to pick up one.
 
Got a few Mk II's:
Blue 6.875" Government Model
Blue 6" Standard Model
Stainless 4.75" Standard Model
2 Blued 4.75" 50th anniversary Models
Blue 4.75" Standard Model with adjustable sights
Love em all, the Government Model was my late Father's and it was his favorite pistol. Awesome guns.
 
I have a Mk II Stainless Bull Barrel .22. It is one of my favorite firearms. It is definitely more accurate than I am. Many years ago I hunted squirrels and rabbits with it and rarely missed a shot. Although I have small hands the Mk II grip is fine for shooting small targets - whether paper or live.
 
I think the apparent lack of interest in Ruger .22 autos is due in part to the fact that they have been around a long time, and just about everyone with even a moderate interest in guns either has owned or has fired one. And in part due to the gun's not being the subject of a gunzine article every week. Nothing exotic; no secret new plastic, no spy master gun, no super .99 caliber derringer with an 8-foot silencer. Just a nice, reliable, fun gun for plinking and woods carry.

Nothing of interest.

Jim
 
I've owned probably a dozen or so over the years. I's, II's, III's, 22/45's...pick one. I couldn't find a dimes worth of practical difference. One worked just as well as the other. I've never even seen a IV, (I don't look anywhere but the used gun case. I'm sure my dealer has them.) I didn't get all excited about the IV because I consider it a solution looking for a problem. I never had any trouble taking down the old ones, when I wanted to, which wasn't often. I'd spray them Gunscrubber, run a patch through the bore, put a little oil on/in them and let them go. I can't say one never malfunctioned, but it wasn't often enough to take note of, didn't matter what type of ammo. My favorite one was just the standard pistol with a 4" tapered barrel and fixed sights, although I had a 22/45 with a 4" bull barrel, and a cheap BSA red dot that would just shoot lights out. Except for the sight, stock out of the box.

I don't have one now, but that's only because I sold off most of my accumulation and am down to just one 22 these days, and it's a Model 18 S&W.
 
I grew up with a MK 1 my dad got in late 60's. Still have it. Bitch to assemble and bloody thumbs. I have shot thousands and thousands rounds through it. I had to replace the rebound spring support on the bolt once decades ago.
 
The firing pin rebound spring is a tiny spring, and I've replaced quite a few over the years that have broken into two and three pieces. Little spring will get clogged up with gunk and then, when the hammer hits the firing pin the spring will often break because the coils can't freely collapse forward.
 
I own a MK III and 22/45, they are great and I can strip them down and
reassemble with ease. I installed a red dot sight on the MK III and here's
the kicker...I shoot it leaving the front lens cap on, shooting with both eyes
open, one eye looking at the target and the other eye on the red dot.
 
With few exceptions, all my rimfire handguns have been Ruger Marks, going way back, including my very first pistol - a Mark 1.
Wouldn't have anything else, for a rimfire pistol.
 
Boringly reliable, Boringly accurate

Yes dis and re assembly are a little tough the first time. If you can exactly follow written instructions it's not challenging. They really don't need a full teardown often. Maybe 1X year?

My current Mk. 3 Hunter wears a red dot, I like it a lot. I do like the look of that combo rail and rear site, gotta check that out.
 
I have a MkII 22/45 w/ Volquartsen trigger kit that puts a smile on my face every time I shoot it. But, there's a bazillion of them out there, and it's nothing super special any longer. Even the MkIV hoopla lowered about as fast as it raised.

I bought mine about 15 years ago, lightly used, with a total of 5 magazines for $150. Just recently rebuilt it for the first time with all new springs, extractor, firing pin, etc. Went from failures to extract to failures to fire. Took it all back apart and decided that the new firing pin was "hanging up" in the channel because of the burrs on one side being it's a stamped part. I rounded off the burr, polished the firing pin with 1000 grit sandpaper, then 1500 grit. Everything back to normal and reliable as ever. Should be good for another 15 years or so.
 
I am a nut about these guns and own several. The take-down is easy once you figure it out. The figuring can be a bit challenging. I break mine down and clean them whenever I fire them.





This one is a Standard which my dad bought during the Watts Riots in 1965:
 
We are a silent majority. I have a Standard model that I absolutely love. It digests everything and is plenty accurate for a plinking gun. I only gave $150 for it so that makes it even sweeter. I haven't tried to make it be anything else since I have other .22 pistols that are easier to customize.
 
Not much on the Ruger 22's? Run a search, whydontcha?

Hard to reassemble, no it's not...blah blah blah

Volquartsen kits blah blah blah

Magazine release yuck or removal blah blah blah

22/45 or Mark III blah blah blah

Mark II is better than God's pistols blah blah blah

Should I Mark IV? blah blah blah

I could go on.....
 
I've got an old 6" Standard Model that I bought new in 1973. 2nd handgun I ever purchased. Thousands of rounds through it, many fond memories. :)

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